For now, the church has lost me. Confirmed allegations of sexual abuse from a priest in my parish makes it impossible for me to attend. Fortunately, my bond with God is intact. He is with me everywhere. I’ve claimed the outdoors as my cathedral. It’s hard not to feel the Creator’s presence in its beauty. Every bird, every tree has his signature on it. There is no dogma in nature and man never thinks of ways to improve it. All is well under the great blue dome.

Spring is a sign of hope and renewal. It’s the counterpart to the reawakening of humanity. I’m comforted that the darkness in the church is being rooted out. Pope Francis gives me grounds for believing that one day it may again feel like home to me. Until then, the wonder found in my own backyard refreshes my soul.

Spring has sprung. And with it comes hope. I see hope in the lilac blossoms. I smell hope in the freshly mowed lawn. I hear hope in the ceaseless chatter of the birds. Hope born anew surrounds me.

The above illustration is aptly entitled Hope. It illustrates the line, “I believe spring brings out hope in all of us,” from the book What I Believe. The little girl in it is my great-niece Kaley. She looked like a little china doll to me. I hunted for her vintage pinafore on-line and found the perfect one through a Mrs. Bird. I wanted to have her wearing something that set off her timeless beauty. After her mother dressed her, we plopped her on my kitchen table and I began snapping away with my camera. When photographing a baby for an illustration, I am always loose with my vision for it. You just never know how they will cooperate. I took about 20 shots, and then Miss Kaley was done. Something else I’ve learned about the models I work with is when they are through poising they are through. A smile can’t be coaxed out of a child who wants to move on.

Immediately after loading the shots on my computer, I knew which image I would base my art on. The way Kaley was looking down and touching her toe looked lyrical to me. The butterfly and the outdoor scenery were fabricated. What couldn’t be fabricated is the wonder on my little model’s face.

The real Kaley

Below is another photo I love. I snapped it while shooting a wedding for a dear friend’s daughter. At times I think this photo begs to be put into an illustration. At other times I think it stands fine just the way it is. I’m curious to know what you think about it. If you have a moment, leave me your thoughts.